“The Forgotten Faces of Fort Craig”: the Untold Story of a Buffalo Soldier focuses on the ways forensic anthropologists examine skeletons to learn about the history of a buffalo soldier. One skeleton reveals the life story of an actual buffalo soldier. We can think of bones as skeleton keys, and these keys can help unlock the story of these brave men who fought for America. A scientist who uses the “keys” in human bones and teeth is a forensic anthropologist.

The word forensic refers to the application of science to legal or criminal matters, but forensic anthropologists can investigate both modern and ancient skeletons and remains to solve mysteries. Every skeleton holds a unique human history. Even before birth a skeleton is building a “bone biography.” The living tissue of bone records “life data” as a person grows lives and dies. Bones and teeth often withstand decay, so the data may survive long after death. Sometimes skeletal evidence is the best way to learn about a once-living person.

The guide below provides a framework for understanding what information students can learn by analyzing bone and compiling “bone biographies”. By learning more about how to examine skeletons, students will be introduced to an exciting new way of learning about the past, and will be able to explore the relevance of forensics in our contemporary world.

ALL ABOUT BONES

• An adult human has 206 bones, but a child has more-about 300 bone “parts.”
• Bone is living tissue made up of cells within a matrix of protein (mostly collagen) and minerals (mainly calcium and phosphorus).
• Bone has three essential layers

Compact surface bone (provides strength and protection)

Spongy porous bone (provides strength)

Marrow (makes red blood cells and white blood cells, and stores and releases fat

Almost all cells, including bone cells, contain DNA-the chemical codes of our genes. Our individual set of genes guides the production of enzymes, which in turn control cells, which form tissues, which make every one of us a unique living organism.

Bones retains information such as sex and ancestry that is found in our DNA. Although DNA evidence can be damaged due to decay and weather, bones can still retain a tremendous amount of information. By analyzing bones, forensics anthropologists can determine the following information about a person from the past:

age, diet, illness, ancestry, height, sex, cause of death and injury.

The biological profile of every skeleton is unique. In a forensic or archaeological investigation, a bone biography, along with evidence at the scene of the excavation or crime, can answer many questions about the unidentified person. Even after fingerprints and facial features are gone or unrecognizable, skeletal evidence can help us answer the following questions: Who was this? What did they do? How did they die?

ACTIVITIES

The activities in this manual are intended to be creative suggestions for teachers looking for ways to implement the concepts and content explored in the The Forgotten Faces of Fort Craig exhibition in their classrooms. Some of these activities can be pursued before visiting the exhibition, and others will work most effectively after students have visited the exhibit or explored the themes it covers through other classroom course units.

Vocabulary

Using the dictionary at www.merriamwebster.com or www.wikipedia.org, students should define or explain the significance of the following terms:

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

The questions below can be presented to students for the purpose of classroom discussion, for a short written response, or as a critical thinking questions to consider before or after viewing the exhibition.

1. The Forgotten Faces of Ft. Craig exhibition focuses on the Buffalo Soldier from the 1850’s to the 1880’s. What do you know about this time period? What is the source of your information?
2. What are some of the things we can learn from studying skeletons from the past? Where else can we get this information?
3. What is DNA, and what can we learn from studying it?
4. The Forgotten Faces of Ft. Craig exhibition reveals many new findings about the life of the Buffalo Soldier. Why do you think it is important to study about the Buffalo Soldier?